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Meghan McNamara-Cafiero
LIU women's lacrosse head coach Meghan McNamara-Cafiero was inducted into the Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame on Jan. 28, 2023.
The 2023 season marked McNamara-Cafiero's 16th season at the program's helm.
In 2022, the Sharks qualified for the Northeast Conference tournament for the second straight year, finishing 5-3 in league play. Four LIU players earned spots on the all-conference team. Amanda Masullo and Hailey Duchnowski were placed on the first team, while Catherine Robles and Whitney Moran were placed on the second team. After a first round appearance versus Bryant in the NEC tournament, Alyssa Boll and Duchnowski were voted to the all-tournament team.
During the 2021 season, her program reached many milestones, despite limited play. The Sharks reached the NEC tournament for the first time as a unified program, finishing the season with a 9-5 overall record, and 7-4 in NEC play. LIU freshman Jennifer Gaffney was named the NEC's Rookie of the Year, while the Sharks had five All-NEC honorees and two All-Tournament team selections. The team was also voted the NEC's Sportsmanship Award winner by the league's coaches. McNamara also hit a career milestone, earning her 200th win as a head coach on March 13th, 2021, in LIU's defeat of CCSU.
During the 2020 season, McNamara-Cafiero led a unified Division I LIU squad into competition as the Sharks, though the campaign was cut short after just six games due to the COVID-19 virus. McNamara closed out the 2020 season with a 196-43 overall record.
The unrivaled success of the Division II Pioneers during her tenure has made McNamara-Cafiero one of the most successful coaches in the sport's history. McNamara-Cafiero compiled a 195-38 record at Division II, ranking eighth among all Division II coaches in winning percentage (.850) while also ranking as the 10th-winningest coach among all divisions by percentage. McNamara's 195 wins ranks twelfth all-time in Division II.
Under McNamara-Cafiero's guidance, the Pioneers captured two NCAA Division II National Championships (2012, 2013), while compiling 10 NCAA Tournament appearances and five East Coast Conference titles.
Closing out the final season as an NCAA Division II team, McNamara-Cafiero guided the Pioneers to a 16-5 overall record, and 7-1 ECC record, advancing to the ECC Championship game and first round of the NCAA tournament. McNamara-Cafiero mentored Hailey Duchnowski, the 2019 ECC Goalkeeper of the Year, and two-time IWLCA All-Americans Alyssa Mallery and Brianna Feldman. The Pioneers closed out the 2019 season ranked No. 9 in the IWLCA poll and No. 16 in the Nike/US Lacrosse Magazine poll.
McNamara-Cafiero's mentorship has helped multiple Pioneers earn attention on the national stage. Goalkeeper Olivia Kirk was twice named IWLCA Goalkeeper of the Year (2016, 2017), while attacker Jackie Sileo earned IWLCA Attacker of the Year three times. Sileo was also a finalist for the 2014 NCAA Division II Woman of the Year award and was featured in Sports Illustrated’s "Faces in the Crowd" during her career. Bridgett Soares was also a finalist for the Division II Woman of the Year award in 2012, while Dominique Mosca and Chelsea Donaldson joined Sileo as IWLCA Players of the Year in 2012. McNamara was tabbed as IWLCA National Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2013 after leading the Pioneers to consecutive National Championships.
LIU Post recorded one of six undefeated seasons in Division II history during the 2013 season, outscoring opponents 338-141 during that stretch. During the NCAA Tournament, Sileo scored with six seconds remaining during the National Semifinal against Adelphi, leading the Pioneers to their second consecutive championship appearance where LIU Post took down Limestone 10-7 for the program's fourth national title.
A native of East Northport, N.Y., McNamara-Cafiero was an assistant coach at LIU Post for two seasons (2006-07), where she helped the Pioneers to a 33-2 record. Her coaching helped the team to a perfect 17-0 record in 2007, en route to the program’s second NCAA Division II National Championship.
Prior to coming to LIU Post, McNamara-Cafiero spent four seasons as assistant coach at nearby Stony Brook University. She was actively involved in recruiting for the Seawolves program and was instrumental in developing individual workouts and offensive game strategies. McNamara was the assistant director of Stony Brook Lacrosse Camps and Clinics during her stay at the school and spent the final four months of the 2005 calendar year as the program’s interim head coach.
A 2001 graduate of the University of Maryland, McNamara-Cafiero helped the Terrapins to a combined record of 83-4 and four national championships during her playing career. A member of the 2001 ACC All-Tournament Team, she registered 71 points (51 G, 20 A) in a Maryland uniform.
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